


He Walks By Himself

by Fox_the_Hermit



Series: Lights by their sides [4]
Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-25 01:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4940623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fox_the_Hermit/pseuds/Fox_the_Hermit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was unsettling. Strange. ...alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Walks By Himself

 Ciel walked into the Undertaker’s parlour, Amaranth silently prowling by his side and providing a small measure of comfort. Though he did not show it, the Earl was somewhat disturbed by this place, where daemon-less bodies were tidied up so as to be presentable for funerals, and he was wary of the man whose job it was to do that. What sane person wanted to be in the company of the dead?

 The Undertaker was sitting behind the table, sketching something that looked like a winged reptile on a piece of paper. Ciel was mildly surprised, having been unaware of the unnerving man having any inclination to the fine arts. Although, Ciel supposed, arranging bodies to look presentable, and even beautiful, likely did take a large measure of artistic talent.

As he walked closer, the Undertaker looked up, or at least Ciel assumed he had, as the man tilted his head up in Ciel’s general direction. Due to the fact that his fringe covered his eyes, it was impossible to tell what he was _actually_ looking at. As far as Ciel knew, he might even have had his eyes closed. How anyone could see through such thick hair was a mystery to him, and if the Undertaker couldn't see... why keep his eyes open?

"How may I help you today, Earl? Perhaps you are here to try out one of my coffins?" The Undertaker giggled, half amused and half nervous.  _Unhinged,_ thought Ciel.  _But brilliant and cunning. Still,_ insane.  _Utterly._  

"A recent string of murders had attracted Her Majesty’s attention, and I have been sent to solve it. I am talking about the recent murders of sixteen and seventeen year olds. Can you offer me any information about these murders?" Ciel sat down on one of the nearby coffins. Whenever he visited, there was a strange absence of any chairs, though whenever he saw actual clients, there were chairs. Perhaps it was funny to the creep, to watch the nobleman sit on something so unsuitable for him.

"Those murders? Oh, I believe I can offer some very interesting information about that, and since you entertained me so greatly last time, I will offer it for free now." The Undertaker paused, watching Ciel, waiting for him to say something along the lines of 'thank you'. Ciel didn't react. The Undertaker sighed, and continued. "Did you already know that none of those murdered had Settled daemons? None of them? I asked the families, to learn which animals motifs to use, and they all told me that. Each and every one of those children - and even the you adults. Those that were aged eighteen and nineteen also had UnSettled daemons."

"UnSettled daemons? At that age?" Ciel asked, somewhat incredulous. It was very rare to have unSettled demons at that age, and for all of them to be that way... It was an obvious connection between all the victims.

"Oh yes. They also had some strange holes in the backs of their heads, like someone had operated on them. I wonder why? Perhaps someone was experimenting on them and their daemons, to find out why daemons Settled. I have to say, it really is such a shame that daemons don’t remain as bodies, I would love to learn what really connects us and them." The Undertaker giggled, shaking slightly, as though he was bursting apart from laughter on the inside. The sudden switch from utter seriousness to amusement was as unnerving as ever, and Ciel cringed a little as he considered the man's words.

It struck the Earl, suddenly, that people also ended to shake like that when they were crying. However, he forgot that thought almost immediately, as he uttered his goodbye, and stood up.

Ciel walked out of the parlour. Once he was in the carriage, he buried his fingers in Amaranth’s fur, seeking comfort. There was something strange about the Undertaker. He had never seen the man’s daemon, not a single hint of it, and he did not strike Ciel as a person to have an insect or other small daemon. Those forms just... did not seem to go with his personality. Ciel was certain it was something big, dangerous, predatory.

The question was - where was it?


End file.
